VIJAYAWADA: Informing that the Polavaram Irrigation project has missed the deadline for completion by April, 2022, Union MoS Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu said that some of the key reasons for the delay identified by a committee set up by the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), included low-spending capacity, inadequate construction and contract management, lack of strategic planning and coordination of the project implementing agency and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The revised deadline for completion of the Polavaram project is June, 2024.
In reply to a question raised by TDP Rajya Sabha MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar on Tuesday, the Union Minister said it was planned to complete the project by April, 2022. However, 77 per cent of project headworks, 93 per cent of right main canal, and 72 per cent of left main canal works have been reportedly completed so far. Hence the project had missed the deadline.
On intimation by the AP government regarding spilling of the project execution beyond April, 2022, the PPA set up a committee in November, 2021 to analyse the current construction schedule, present status of works, factual reasons for the delay and come up with an updated project schedule.
The committee submitted its report in April, 2022. It has suggested the revised deadline for completion of the project as June, 2024.
Stating that several steps for monitoring and expediting the project execution have been taken, the Union Minister said the PPA will hold regular meetings to review the work progress and resolve the pending issues.
Additionally, the Dam Design and Review Panel (DDRP) constituted for providing expert advice on design aspects and the expert committee set up to supervise various activities of the project, will meet frequently and provide the requisite inputs to the project authority.
The PPA has held 14 meetings so far, while DDRP has met 20 times. The expert committee held 7 meetings, he added.
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